Search form

Search form

There are six important attributes -- including emotion and practical value -- that can help determine whether a marketing message will go viral, according to Jonah Berger, author of "Contagious: Why Things Catch On." Companies of all sizes can tap into the power of word-of-mouth, which is 10 times more effective than advertising, he notes. "You don't need a huge advertising budget, you just have to get people talking," he said.

Related Summaries

Fifty-seven% of people discover new products via word-of-mouth, but encouraging customers to talk about their products is only the fifth most popular tactic employed by marketers. Use customer testimonials to tell stories, not sell, and share the word-of-mouth content that's been posted by fans and brand ambassadors.

Emotional appeal and a sense of exclusivity are among the factors that give marketing the boost it needs to generate word-of-mouth, Dave Clarke writes. Marketers can also use giveaways, such as branded T-shirts, and triggers embedded in ads, such as a Geico ad's reference to Wednesday as "hump day," to prompt conversation on social media.

LinkedIn launched a Mentions feature in April that hasn't been widely adopted -- but it can greatly increase the engagement individuals see on the service by highlighting others, Margie Zable Fisher writes. The feature, not yet available on company pages, provides a notice directly to anyone who is mentioned and is a great way to thank, recommend or congratulate others, creating positive word-of-mouth, Fisher writes.

Time Warner CEO Jeff Bewkes raised eyebrows this week when he commented that having a TV show become the most pirated in the world is better than winning an Emmy, but pirating eventually boosts overall subscriptions by promoting word-of-mouth, analysts note. "People pirate their cable subscriptions when they're starting out and don't have any money. But then later on, they move, get a new apartment, and they become real subscribers," said Tom Adams, U.S. research director at IHS Electronics & Media.

Many small businesses rely on word-of-mouth marketing for new business, and that's leading many to experiment with digital tools, writes Christopher Bevel. Follow-up e-mails, digital refer-a-friend promotions and a well-managed presence on review sites can all help SMBs get noticed. "It makes a lot of sense for local service providers, especially those highly dependent upon word-of-mouth, to use digital marketing tools to grow their business," Bevel writes.